Sengoku Basara: The Mermaid
by Clare Prime of Ultra
Summary: There is a stowaway on the Fugaku, and Chosokabe Motochika isn't happy with all the trouble the he's causing. But when the Oda get involved, he is in for the biggest surprise in his life. The question is, why is the stowaway on the Fugaku in the first place? To escape? To spy? To kill? Or is it something more? And the bigger question is, what is this feeling the Ogre has?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note**

 **.**

 **.**

 **"Warning!"**

 **.**

 **The Following Story is a Mini-Sequel to another story**

 **Expect this chapter to be deleted when the story**

 **"Sengoku Basara" is complete**

 **.**

 **NOTE:**

 **.**

 **You can read this story**

 **as it is not completely related to the unfinished one**

 **.**

 **You have been warned**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **The 1st chapter of "The Mermaid" will be Published**

 **Next Sunday**


	2. Ch 1 The Stowaway

**The Mermaid**

 **.**

 **Ch 1 The Stowaway**

 **.**

Chosokabe Motochika stared out at the sea with his single eye. His spiky white hair swayed in the wind. His heavy purple armor and baggy pants revealed most of his toned, scarred chest, including his six-pack. He struck his anchor into the ground and leaned on it. His parrot flew onto his shoulder.

"Captain!" Two of his men ran up to him. He turned to them.

"What is it dogs?"

"A stowaway has been spotted in the lower storage area." They bowed at him. "Seven men were heavily wounded trying to capture him. We have yet to find him." Motochika stared at them. A stowaway? That was bad news for any crew. Since the stowaway was here, than they were either stupid or desperate. If there are desperate there is only one thing to do to drive them out.

"Move all of the food and water from the lower storage to the extra rooms near the upper levels and block off the floor of the lower storage. No one goes in or out unless I say so. Let's see how long our little son-of-a-bitch stowaway lasts without food or water." He ordered with a smirk.

"Aye captain!" They ran off. Motochika stared back out at the sea and smirked with bloodlust.

"You'll regret, stowaway, for ever hitching a ride on my ship, the Fugaku!" The massive, several story, wide, island like ship with a massive lion headed cannon crashed through the ocean waves with unimaginable grace despite its hulking size.

.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

"Find anything?" A soldier with a beard ran up to another.

"Not a thing." His bald friend replied.

"Ugh, how the hell are we supposed to do this? It's not like we haven't had stowaways before, but this one is practically invisible!" Beards complained. Baldy sighed at him.

"Keep looking, we'll find the son-of-a-bitch eventually." Baldy commanded.

"Why the hell do I have to take my orders from you." Beardy demanded.

"Yo!" A third shipmate ran down the stairs and headed toward them before Baldy could reply.

"The captain ordered us to move the food. We're going to try to starve the stowaway out into the open."

"Ok!" The group of sailors began moving, picking up crates of food and barrels of water. As they got to work, moving the supplies up onto the deck, on man, Beardy, glanced at his companions before uncorking the top of one barrel and dipping a finger into the fine sake. He shook with delight when he brought the liquid covered finger to his mouth. Casting another glance at his friends, he gently tipped the barrel and...

"What are you doing?" A man wearing a white bandana came up to him. Beardy quickly placed the barrel down and put the cork back on.

"Nothing, just wondering if I should move the sake or not." He lied.

"Of course move the sake! That's the finest brand in Western Japan! No one wants the filthy stowaway to take it!" Bandana man yelled. Beardy shrugged.

"Just wondering since the captain said to move the food and water. I don't think sake counts as water or food." Before his the bandana man could reply, something came up.

"Hey!" A soldier shouted suddenly as he bent over a crate. A large shadow was moving in between crates of food piled against the wall. The sailor ran toward the corner of the storage room and drew a sword to where the shadowed figure was moving.

"Come out where I can see you, filthy stowaway!" He shouted. The shadow lunged at him.

.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

"What the hell is going on!" Motochika yelled at the top of his lungs above the surprised shouting of his crew. Soldiers were running out on to the Fugaku's lower deck from the lower storage cabins. He hoisted his anchor to his shudder, scaring his parrot away, as he watch his men run behind him.

' _What's with them? Did the stowaway figure out what we are doing and fought back? If that were so, then he would be considerably powerful to make this many of my crew run. But why is everyone unscathed? Hell, why is he on the Fugaku in the first place?'_ The ogre wondered to himself as he watched the chaos before him.

"Captain!" The last soldier screamed as he ran out. It was Bandana man. Something yanked him backwards suddenly. Motochika startled. His man scrambled away, removing his clothes, including his white bandana, in a mad rush to get away from whatever terror was tormenting them. Motochika stared in awe as the sailor's clothing was taken apart string by string before merging to be apart of an even larger mass of string, gathering up to form something.

"What the hell..." He spoke slowly as a figure appeared before him. A hunched over man covered in rags looked up and stared blankly at them. Motochika stepped forward.

"Who are you?" He asked, gripping his anchor. The man remained silent. Motochika smirked.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue old man? Or is it that you never expected to meet the Ogre of the Western Sea!" Motochika yelled as he swung his anchor down. The man flew backwards right before it hit him. He engulfed himself inside his strings.

"What the..." The man emerged from his strings again. However, this time, he was in an entirely different form than what the crew of the Fugaku saw only seconds earlier. Motochika gasped and his men backed up in shock.

"What the hell!" One crewmate shouted.

"How the fuck?" Another yelled.

"Captain!" Another nearly screamed.

"No fucking way…"Motochika spoke in a daze as he stared at the newly reformed figure before him, which smirked.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue old man? Or is it that you never expected to meet the Ogre of the Western Sea!" The newly formed copy of Motochika yelled as he swung his anchor down.


	3. Ch 2 Motochika vs Motochika

**Ch 2 Motochika vs Motochika**

 **.**

 ***Review!***

 **.**

"What the hell!" The real Motochika looked at the figure before him. It was just like looking into a mirror. In front of him was a mirror image of himself. Same eyepatch, same purple armor, same scars, same hair, and even the same anchor.

"What the hell!" His copy repeated. Even the voice was the same. Motochika's eye twitched in annoyance. His clone's eye twitched as well, annoying him even more.

"Why you-" He yelled in rage and swung his anchor at his clone.

"Why you-" It repeated and did the exact same thing as he did, causing their blades to clash. Motochika was flown back a couple of steps. His clone a couple more. That was odd.

"What the hell are you!" He yelled at it.

"What the hell are you!" It repeated, again.

"Why are you on the Fugaku?"

"Why are you on the Fugaku?"

"Oi, stop copying me."

"Oi, stop copying me."

"Knock it off!"

"Knock it off!"

"Stop it."

"Stop it."

"Hey, shut up!"

"Hey, shut up!" Motochika wasn't happy. His clone could copy his movements with ease.

'How the hell am I supposed to beat this bastard, I might as well be fighting myself.'

"Which one is the real captain!"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"The one who speaks first. That's our real Captain!" His men were scrambling. Motochika glanced at them.

'The one who spoke first? Now that I think of it, whenever I move, my double moves with me. Even now, since I'm not moving, he isn't moving. But when I talk, he copies me _after_ I speak. The weakness of this guy lies there somewhere, but where.

"Let's see, what do I know about this guy. He is a string weirder, able to take string from any source, like the clothes of my men. And he's able to form them together to form an entirely different form, like my clone in front of me that's able to copy- wait a minute. It's string, it would be difficult to move. No, if he was using his entire body, it would. Maybe he's using just his fingers, but the amount of string would make that complicated. Like a string puppet, it takes practice to form graceful movements. This guy turned his entire body to look like someone else and is perfectly copying my moves. The best way to use your fingers for that much shit would have to be the webway. But that is a complex skill and would mean- wait, of course!' Motochika brought his anchor up and dashed at his clone.

As expected, his duplicate copied his movements and did the same. They rushed toward each other in a head on collision. At the very last minute, the real Motochika swung his anchor back and, summoning his purple fighting spirit into his massive weapon, sliced at his clone's midsection. The clone stopped as a large gash was formed. Instead of flesh were thousands upon thousands of string. The clone fell apart slowly, layers and layers of string came apart. Then reformed into the hunched man they saw earlier. The crew gasped at the sight. He was incomplete, his multicolored strings kept moving, giving his form an eerie appearance.

"Hehehe, it's been awhile since anyone cut through one of my clones. Tell me, what gave it away?" He asked. His voice was deep grunted, almost muffled. Motochika smirked.

"You were able to match my movements almost perfectly up until that nasty gash. However, whenever I spoke, you only copied me right _after._ You have the ability to copy my every move, even my lips, but your voice comes out late. When you pull on a string the vibration takes a while to go from one end to the other. Sound is no exception. You taking one of my men's clothes proved gave me a pretty big clue so the only thing left to do was to see if I was right." Motochika explained. The man seemingly tilted his head.

"Interesting, however, wouldn't that cause me to be a bit slower than you? Considering the vibrations you spoke of, it would take a while for me to copy your movements. Also, ignoring the vibrations, I have quite the amount of string. How did I manage to move under all of that. Yet, I matched them perfectly while you were doing them. Can you tell me that, ogre-sama?" The man mocked. Motochika's eye twitched again in annoyance, before he smirked.

"Not unless you read my movements before hand, even though your voice came a little later, it was nearly on top of my own. Have you ever heard of the webway?" The stowaway tilted his deformed head.

"It's like a spider's web, with hundreds of strands of string tied up with different threads to make a string wielder control massive amounts of string, with their fingers." Motochika continued.

"You are quite a master when comes to weaving, old man." He chuckled. The hunched man merely tilted his head back.

"Besides, not even you can copy the great power of one's fighting spirit, I simply used that to my advantage and slashed at you with more speed because of my spirit. You didn't have time to react." He smirked. The man showed no emotion. The ogre smirked even more.

"You know, you should drop the act of being an old man." The old man tilted his head.

"My cloned self was flown away even more than me, so you're lighter than you look, even with that much shit called string." Motochika spoke. The man gazed at him.

"I'm impressed, I definitely underestimated you, ogre-sama. Considering my past, that's saying a lot. Things should get interesting from now on. Let's play again when I have the strength and when my body doesn't require so much rest." The strings that held the figure together started to remodel themselves upwards. Chosokabe Motochika stepped back in shock.

"What the..."

"See you later." The man disappeared high up into the Fugaku's sails. Motochika stood there awestruck as he watched the remaining strings disappear in the fabric. His crew slowly moved out of their hiding places and joined their captain, staring up where the string wielder disappeared.

Motochika clutched his hand to his chest, above where his pounding heart was. It was ablaze, with a fire he had never known. It wasn't the fire ignited from the rush of battle. No, Mori Motonori is the only one that ignites that fire. What the Ogre was feeling was something else entirely. Who was that guy? And what is this feeling that the Captain of the Fugaku is feeling?


	4. Ch 3 Intrusion

**Ch 3 Intrusion**

 **.**

 ***Review!***

 **.**

It has been nearly a week since the last sighting of the stowaway. Large amounts of food and water keep disappearing on a daily basis, so he is still on board. Motochika was itching for a battle against the string user, and also to figure out what the fire that was lighted within his is. Ever since the fight against the stowaway, the fire hadn't gone away. No matter what time of day it was, Motochika found that he was always thinking of him. Just what is this feeling. He can't stand not knowing, but for now he had other matters to attend to.

.

Motochika glared at his three recently returned scouts.

"Mori Motonari is married?"

"Yes, they have been together for about a month now. It seems that a small local providence was fearful of a large scale attack by the Oda, so they arranged a marriage between the two for protection. From what we can tell, the peasants of Aki love her for improving their lives, but from the looks of it, she is as cold and emotionless as her husband." The leader of the small party of three spoke. "What's more, she even admitted that she is a pawn to be used by her husband, Motonari, as he pleases." Motochika scowled.

"Sounds like a perfect couple." His parrot squawked in agreement.

"You can say that again. They both treat their own soldiers as pawns, and get this. She apparently called her own husband a pawn." One of the scouts commented. Motochika's single eye widened in surprise before he smirked with amusement.

"Oh really, what did he do to her?"

"No idea, it was only a rumor going around in the village." The man laughed. The captain chuckled as well.

"Yeah, that would have been something to see."

Suddenly, everyone in the room was launched to the back. The three scouts were piled up on top of each other. Motochika hit the wall, leaving an impression. His anchor became buried half way through, inches away from him. His parot was squeaking and flapping its wings in a panick.

"What the hell happened!" He yelled, pulling himself out of the wall and yanking his weapon out, nearly slicing the head off of one of his own crewmates.

"Captain! A large fleet bearing the banner of the Oda are right in front of us!" One of his men shouted from above.

"What!"

.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

Sure enough, there's a fleet of twenty large ships, all of which were heading in a different direction, none paying attention to the giant monstrosity looming over them. Motochika stared down at them.

"So this is the Oda. Ha, bastard must have guts turning a blind eye on the ogre." He smirked. Truth be told though, he was relieved. The Fugaku still had some construction to be taken care of, including the main cannon. If they were attacked, they would be close to helpless.

"Trust me, we aren't turning a blind eye on you at all." A voice hissed behind him. "We just have other matters to attend to." Motochika turned and slammed his anchor into a blade. A skinny man with waist length hair smiled crazily.

"Who the fuck are you?" Motochika growled at him, moving his anchor back.

"Akechi Mitsuhide, at your service." The man spoke, doing a mock bow. Motochika brought his blade back.

"Now now, I'm not here to fight. I just happen to have heard about your little stowaway." Mitsuhide spoke with glee.

"Oh yeah, well what about it." Motochika glared down at him, hooking his arms over his anchor. Mitsuhide smiled.

"It just so happens that your stowage is an old friend of mine, and I will pay you handsomely to allow me to get _him_ back, no questions asked, no interference, no telling." He spoke with venomous glee. The way he said 'him', like he was spitting out a bribe. A lie. Motochika thought for a minute. 'Get rid of a dangerous stowaway for a big price, sounds suspicious to me. Let's see where this goes then.'

"How much are you offering?" He asked. Mitsuhide smirked and whispered in his ear. Motochika thought his jaw would hit the deck.

"That much for just one troublesome stowaway? That's several times a normal price for _royal_ runaways." Motochika almost yelled out. Mitsuhide merely chuckled.

" _He_ is Royal, and _he_ is, at the moment, an enemy of the Oda until _he_ returns back with me." The reaper spoke. Motochika's expression was blank. The price is way too high. That's saying a lot about the stowaway. He's from a ruling family, most likely allied with the Oda, or the last surviving remnant of an enemy clan, with a large bounty of his head. It must be big because of time. Motochika thought for a minute.

'If the Oda are willing to pay that much for the stowaway, then it is pretty important. If the pest was that important, then I might not want to hand him over to the Oda. There are still a few unknowns that need to be taken care of. What's more, I want to know what this feeling is, and why he ignited it when we fought. Wait a minute, he. The way Mitsuhide is saying _he_ when referring the stowaway. Could it be.' Motochika frowned then smirked.

"Pay half now, and the other half after you have the stowaway." He spoke at last. Akechi tilted his head.

"Can't be too careful, especially around you Oda." He quickly explained. Mitsuhide gave a light smile and nodded. Motochika smiled. With the plan he had in mind, there were a lot of risks, hell, he might not get any of the money being offered to him. Might as well get this over with.

"Alright, you got yourself a deal! Just don't go stabbing me in the back and we can get along just fine, you son-of-a-bitch." He smirked. Mitsuhide grinned.

"Good, follow my plan directly and you shall have the other half of your pay soon." Motochika smirked as he listened to the reaper's plan.

'So this is personal, which means that the poor stowaway is on board my ship to get away from this guy. It also means that _he_ wouldn't live long with Mitsuhide around. I hope my plan works. If it does, I'll gain both an enemy and an ally. Let's hope it's worth it.' Motochika thought as the Oda General wrapped up his speech.

'Hell, if I am able to figure out what this fire inside me is, then it wouldn't matter if the entire world became my enemy.'


	5. Ch 4 The String Wielder

**Ch 4 The String Wielder**

 **.**

 ***Review!***

 **.**

The ogre and his crew stood behind the doors that led to the Fugaku's cabins. Mitsuhide paced around the ship's upper deck. According to him, the sting wielder would hide where there is string. On a ship, what better place than the sails. As to the reason why the entire crew of the Fugaku were hiding, well…

"Hell no! the Ogre of the Western Sea is no coward!" Motochika yelled. Mitsuhide didn't so much as blink at the outburst.

"I understand how to feel, captain. However, since I have a personal connection with your stowaway, it would be better if I were alone on the deck. _He_ would attack me on the spot. You know first hand what the stowaway is capable of, you wouldn't want to put your crew in danger now, would you?" Mitsuhide smiled pleasantly. Motochika frowned and glanced at his crew.

"Fine, my-son-of-a-bitches and I will remain in the holds. But bear in mind that I will be watching, and as soon as I see something I don't like, I'm interfering." He spoke with a glare at the vassal of the Oda. Mitsuhide merely giggled.

.

Mitsuhide stopped and spoke up.

"Can you hear me, my lovely. I'm sure you're quaking in fear for yourself, and your little spawn." He shouted. The captain narrowed his eyes as the crew began muttering.

"What's he talking about."

"Little spawn?"

"What the hell." They were silenced as Mitsuhide continued in a singing voice.

"Once upon a time there was a small land that married into the Devil King's force. The lovely bride was given to a great general. She feared the general because of his lust for blood. Three children yet to be born. One the mother failed to protect and died in childbirth from the father's poison. The second, the sweet mother found out the truth and tried to run. She was sought after by the army and her home was burned to the ground. It died by the father's blade as soon as it was born. The third was kept secret. When the father found out he punched the mother so hard that it was dead immediately. But then the lovely bride became pregnant with a fourth child, and again, she ran. She sought shelter in a massive ship that's said to be led by a great pirate captain." Mitsuhide gleefully grinned as he took out his scythes. His men long fell silent with the story. Motochika himself was dumforded.

"Mitsuhide, you bastard…" The reaper grinned ear to ear in madness as he continued.

"Seven months you have been gone. The poison still goes through you. An early child you will have." Mitsuhide began laughing like a maniac. "I smelled you bleeding, Nana, your efforts are futile, for it is already dead! Stupid woman, as my wife, I expected..." He didn't finish. Someone screamed and came crashing down on top of where Mitsuhide was only seconds ago. The crew gasped. Motochika blinked his single right eye several times. The string that held the old man together we're falling apart. A thin form began to stand.

"Look baby, the sun, grow up nice and big and run around under the sun!" The stowaway spoke through tears. Motochika could only stared. In place of the ragged, hunched over old man was a thin, sleek, beautiful figure. Both he and his crew were dumbstruck at what they saw among the piles of string.

"You're a woman?!"

.

The pirate captain gazed well upon the woman, whom Mitsuhide called Nana, while most of his crew turned away. She was a small thing, black hair held in a large pony tail with a headband of scrap metal, a round face ending in a fairly sharp chin, skin white as the sea foam, and eyes a lovely chestnut brown. She was pretty... And completely naked. However, Motochika noted with disgust that she was unhealthy thin, so thin that he could make out her ribs, almost completely flat chested, and worse, she was covered in ugly scars that could only belong the the skyves of... of Mitsuhide. The truth had unfolded in front of him.

'Nana was abused by her husband, Mitsuhide, and lost her first three kids to his madness. She ran away to save her fourth child only to have it die, too.' He cursed himself for ever joining the Oda.

'I'm going to skin that ugly bastard alive!'

"Come on baby, let's make sure that you grow up nice and tall." Nana spoke. She was obviously mad with grief and despair as she rocked. Her string spun around her, controlled effortlessly by her free hand. The other held a bundle that dripped blood. No one needed to guess what it was. The ogre snapped his head to Mitsuhide who burst out laughing.

"Oh, what's that? You plan on killing me? You want to avenge your beloved children? Your friends? Your parents? Your family? Your people? Your entire clan? Ha, pathetic, I expected better from you." He approached her slowly. Nana moved her fingers in such a way that her strings spread out. Now that the strings weren't so close to her, Motochika could make out the fresh blood that covered her lower stomach region and upper legs. She gave birth recently.

"'Let's play again when I have the strength and when my body doesn't require so much rest.'"

'Damn it, don't tell me I fought against a pregnant woman.' He cursed as he clenched his anchor with anger.

Her strings struck. Mitsuhide jumped and slashed his scythes, cutting different colored string. His scythes sliced through her offensives easily, putting her in the defensive. All the while, her former husband laughed like a maniac.

Motochika watched the fight carefully before speaking.

"Dogs." His crew looked up at him.

"Get ready to throw that scumbag into the sea." He ordered. His crew cheered with eagerness. Motochika meanwhile, kept staring at Nana.

'Forgive me, my lady. I'm sorry, if only I had known about… No, if only I had put the pieces together, if only I was smart enough to know your pain... I could have… I would have… no… I will… I will… I… I… I!' He struck his fist into the wall in a fit of rage. His men startled and glanced at him as he gritted his teeth.

"Even if it kills me, I will not fail again! Even if it makes the Oda my enemy, even if it means my lands are conquered and my people slain, I will uphold my honor." He spoke darkly.

"Captain."

"Captain!" His crew all but yelled out with deep respect.

"For my honor, for my own sorry soul, for you… even if it means making the Oda my enemy, I will help you."


	6. Ch 5 The Mermaid

**Ch 5 The Mermaid**

 **.**

 ***Review!***

 **.**

Nana kept her strings moving, deflecting her husband's attacks. She bit her lip as he laughed his head off. Her eyes were wide with fear and shock. Her baby didn't live. She lost her child again, because of him. Her strings glowed purple for a brief moment. Mitsuhide sliced the string her fingers held, causing her to fall backwards as her string fell, covering her naked body.

"Naughty wife, running away. Now you shall pay!" Mitsuhide brought his scythes down. Nana closed her eyes and turned away. Nothing happened. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. The ogre stood over her, blocking her husband's blades. Mitsuhide scowled.

"Motochika? Mind telling me what this is?" Mitsuhide asked, pulling his weapon back. Motochika growled at him.

"If you want more money, then the Oda will pay you twice…" He started.

"No." The captain spoke sternly. Mitsuhide was caught off guard.

"No?" He asked. The pirate glared at him with rage.

"Don't tell me you didn't know. the Ogre of the Western Sea never sells slaves! Especially sex slaves!" The ogre swung his massive weapon. Mitsuhide jumped back. Nana could only stare in awe as the two lords fought. Purple light clashed against darkness. Her husband was fast and deceiving, but he was no match for the orge that could predict almost every move and used his massive strength to push him back.

"Ogre-Sama…" Tears began to flow from her eyes. Eyes that have seen too much despite her young age.

.

 _Flash Back_

 _ **.**_

Nana learned from her father how to fight, how to use mere string as a lethal weapon. With little to no strings, it was like dancing, each step something new. With strings, it was a flowing river that goes crashing down through a waterfall. She loved it, which is why she married the Oda retainer, to conquest and to fight for her people. But all those dreams she made came crashing down like the waterfall when her betrothed, Akechi Mitsuhide, ordered her land to be burned to the ground. She was helpless as a fish trying to push up against the falls. Her husband locked her in a room. For months she was nothing but his plaything, and whenever she managed to conceive, he didn't hesitate to kill. She ran away after ripping a sheet for its string, so she could fight, so she could be free.

She ran back to her clan, back to her home. After hearing and seeing how she was treated, her Lord, her father, didn't hesitate to pick up his sword. When the Oda came after her, they were ready. Her entire clan went to meet the Oda army head on in battle. Everyone she loved and cared about was wiped out. Her friends, her old nursemaid, her sisters, her brothers, her mother, her father, everyone was killed. Her husband made her watch as he slew a surviving family. Like her, their baby was wailing as it was silenced.

.

 _End of Flashback_

.

But now he found her, and the child she tried to save was dead. Nana stood up and dragged what little string remained, which held the three bundles of her previous children. With a flick of her fingers, her string surrounded her and made a western dress that she has seen a few times. Her feet carried her to the railing of the ship. She has no longer any will to live in this cruel world.

.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

"Bastard!" Motochika yelled as he brought his anchor down. Mitsuhide jumped out of the way in the nick of time as the the weapon left a hole in the deck. Mitsuhide didn't look panicked. No, rather, he looked excited, like he was having the time of his life. His eyes darted away from the pirate for a split second and his grin widened.

"My little wife seems to be going out for a swim." He spoke with horrific glee.

"What!" Motochika gasped as the woman began climbing the railings of the ship.

"Bye bye." Mitsuhide jumped off the side of the ship, landing on a small boat, which quickly sailed away. The ogre growled.

'Damn, if only the Fugaku were completed we might be able to smash that boat into pieces.' Motochika, however, turned away and ran toward the woman named Nana, who lightly stepped off of the ship. Motochika hurriedly trapped her string, causing her body to jerk upwards before falling into the waves. The massive amount of thread now jerked _him_ down as Nana was dragged under. He pulled on the strings, trying to keep the crippled woman from going down any deeper than she already is.

"Captain!" His men scrambled, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him up. Motochika risked a glance at the drowning woman. He could barely see her now. Only air bubbles and the massive amount of string told him where she was. He squinted his single eye. If he looked closely enough, he could see Nana's thin form floating in the water, kinda reminding him of a... Of a... Of a mermaid.

.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

 _I am in a trance. My feet lead me over the edge, and then I'm flying free. But no, not free. I'm floating down like paper in the air. Are my strings holding me back? No, I'm jerked back and I slip out of most, not all, of them. Then I touch the waves, their icy breath swallow me. My strings drag me from the surface as the air leaves my lungs. I swallow sea water. My lungs scream for air. I almost don't notice in the cold. A large fish swims above me as darkness stole my vision._

.

 _I am dreaming. I am floating in darkness. It's so cold here, so wet. Is this death? Then, I am met with warmth. The light, it's so bright. Strong hands lift me up. I am wrapped in warmth. Is this heaven? Am I dead? Are my children... Will I see my children? Salty tears cover my already wet face when I think of them. Darkness comes over me again as I see someone smile gently._

 _._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

Nana gasped awake. She was in a silky bed naked without her strings. Was she back at her husband's castle? No, the room swayed back and forth slightly, and there were pieces of metal gears and projects strewn all across the floor. What a mess. Nana sat up, the white kimono that covered her sliding off, just as the door slid open.

"So you're awake." The ogre spoke as he entered. Nana covered herself with the kimono.

"It took us forever to separate you from that tangled mess. It didn't help that you were mostly underwater. What were you thinking? Jumping off a ship in the middle of the ocean is bad enough, but wearing that much is beyond stupid!" He rumbled on and on. Nana looked at the floor.

"N-no... No es-escape." She spoke slowly. "I-I just…. Just want... to see... them grow big…. and strong." She began crying.

"So what?" Nana looked up at the pirate captain.

"Huh?"

"Your old husband thinks you're dead and is long gone. That poison in your body might have died down by now. From what I can see your free." Motochika spoke. Nana was more than surprised.

"Ogre-sama..." He walked toward her and hugged her. She sat there, in shock.

"There is another reason." He spoke softly. She looked at him as he pulled away from her.

"They say strong emotions are ignited in battle." He lifted her chin.

"When we fought… I felt it. A fire."

"A….a fire?" She asked slowly. Her husband told her about fighting spirit and how it reacts to certain opponents. The ogre sighed.

"The thing is, I couldn't understand the fire inside me this time. So I joined with Mitsuhide to bring you out. Though I admit, that might have been a mistake." He scratched his head. Nana gave a small smile and chuckled softly. The ogre smirked as well.

"However, while you were fighting with that snake of a man, your strings… glowed." He spoke slowly. She blinked.

"Was it…" She hesitantly began.

"Yeah, it was fighting spirit." He finished for her. His single eye looked directly into hers.

"It was the same color as mine." He continued. Time stopped. Everything felt frozen. Nana nearly stopped breathing. Same color… Same color… When the fighting spirits of two warriors are the same, it means one of two things. A possible heir to an older warrior. Or, if her memory is correct, a couple.

"Ogre-sama." She burst into tears and curled into his chest. He held her.

"It was purple…. _His_ was always purple. Ogre-sama…" Motochika silenced her with a kiss. Unlike the biting kisses of her previous husband, this kiss was kind, gentle, and… simple. She loved every bit of it. They stayed there for awhile, until Motochika parted from her and held her.

"You are the mermaid to the ogre, I will never hurt you as he did."

.

That promise, created a strong bond between the two.

.

 **I promise to finish the story where this one was a side story of. Expect this note to be deleted when that happens. Until then, check out my other stories. :)**


End file.
